National investment in local health services

[B]etter Care Together, the local strategy to change NHS services across South Cumbria and North Lancashire, has been awarded almost £5million of national funding for 2016-17.

The money is being invested locally as part of the national New Care Models Programme. Better Care Together is one of 50 communities across the country developing new models of care and the latest investment brings the total amount of funding received over the past year to £9million.

The funding is being used to strengthen the links between services in the community to provide more support for people who are at risk of hospital admission due to long term health problems, frailty or old age. Investment will also be made to streamline hospital services for eye care, cardiology and musculo-skeletal conditions in order to reduce waiting times and visits to hospital. Local NHS organisations will also use some of the funding to invest in Information Technology to improve patient care.

Andrew Bennett, the senior responsible officer for Better Care Together, and Chief Officer of NHS Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “To receive this latest investment in Morecambe Bay is a vote of confidence in the work undertaken locally so far.”

“Our challenge now is to make the changes in the way local services work together. This will result in fewer patients being referred to hospital, and fewer patients being admitted to hospital, with more appropriate forms of care arranged to support patients either in or closer to their homes.”

“At the same time, we will be working with each of our local communities to understand what is important to them about their health and wellbeing. This is vital for the NHS to be sustainable into the future.”

“We will ensure this investment is spent on making changes that improve the health outcomes we want for the people of Morecambe Bay.